Self cleaning heater exchanger plate

Abstract

A laundry appliance includes a blower that directs process air along an airflow path. An evaporator dehumidifies the process air and removes condensate from the process air. A heat exchange plate is disposed within the airflow path and supports the evaporator from below and within the airflow path. The heat exchange plate receives the condensate from the process air. A sloped area of the heat exchange plate directs the condensate downward and along the heat exchange plate to a condensate drain, wherein the sloped area includes a directing surface that blocks the process air from pushing the condensate upward and away from the condensate drain.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A laundry appliance comprising:
 a blower that directs process air along an airflow path; 
 a drum for receiving the process air to process laundry, the drum being part of the airflow path; 
 an evaporator that dehumidifies the process air directed from the drum and removes condensate from the process air; 
 a lint filter positioned upstream of the evaporator for separating lint particles from the process air; 
 a heat exchange plate that is disposed within the airflow path and that supports the evaporator from below, wherein the heat exchange plate receives the condensate from the process air and directs the condensate to a condensate drain; and 
 a filter seat defined within the heat exchange plate, wherein the filter seat defines at least a portion of the condensate drain and supports the lint filter from below, the condensate drain extending a width of the airflow path and being positioned between the filter seat and a sloped portion of the heat exchange plate. 
 
     
     
       2. The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchange plate includes the sloped portion that directs the condensate toward the lint filter and into the condensate drain. 
     
     
       3. The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a fluid spray system for directing a flow of fluid toward a surface of the lint filter, wherein the flow of fluid separates entrapped lint from an upstream surface of the lint filter; and 
 a condensate opening disposed upstream of the filter seat, wherein the fluid spray system directs the flow of fluid and the entrapped lint into a drain channel via the condensate opening. 
 
     
     
       4. The laundry appliance of  claim 3 , wherein the condensate drain and the condensate opening are in communication with a common drain channel that is positioned below the heat exchange plate. 
     
     
       5. The laundry appliance of  claim 2 , wherein a plurality of support structures of the heat exchange plate extend across the condensate drain between the sloped portion and the filter seat, wherein the plurality of support structures at least partially supports the filter seat, and wherein the plurality of support structures also engage a back surface of the lint filter to maintain a position of the lint filter with respect to the airflow path. 
     
     
       6. The laundry appliance of  claim 3 , wherein the flow of fluid is condensate directed from the drain channel via a condensate pump, wherein the condensate pump directs the condensate to a spray nozzle of the fluid spray system. 
     
     
       7. A laundry appliance comprising:
 a blower that directs process air along an airflow path that includes a drum for processing laundry; 
 an evaporator that dehumidifies the process air directed from the drum and removes condensate from the process air; 
 a lint filter positioned within the airflow path and between the drum and the evaporator, and that separates lint particles from the process air; 
 a heat exchange plate that supports the evaporator and the lint filter, wherein the heat exchange plate receives the condensate from the process air and directs the condensate toward the lint filter and to a condensate drain, the condensate drain being positioned within an interior portion of the heat exchange plate between the lint filter and a sloped portion that is below the evaporator; and 
 a fluid spray system for directing a flow of fluid toward a surface of the lint filter and through a condensate opening upstream of the lint filter, wherein the condensate drain and the condensate opening are positioned over a common drain channel. 
 
     
     
       8. The laundry appliance of  claim 7 , wherein the heat exchange plate is disposed above the common drain channel and at least partially separates the airflow path from the common drain channel. 
     
     
       9. The laundry appliance of  claim 7 , wherein the heat exchange plate includes the sloped portion positioned under the evaporator and that directs the condensate to the condensate drain, and wherein the heat exchange plate includes a filter seat that partially defines the condensate drain, wherein the filter seat supports the lint filter from below. 
     
     
       10. The laundry appliance of  claim 9 , wherein a plurality of support structures extend across the condensate drain between the sloped portion and the filter seat, wherein the plurality of support structures at least partially supports the filter seat.